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everything should be a flange bolt

bran1har

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Jun 12, 2012
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CT
When working on a car and a bolt breaks off and then after extracting it and maybe retappting, I got to my HF met bolt set to get a replacment bolt and its just a regular bolt. Not the flange type which is used on all of the oem fasteners on cars. Why the hell don't they sell a flange bolt set? And Also when welding up a project of some sort or whatever using fastners to hold it together, bolt and washer is a pain in the ***. Especially dismantleing and reassembling things that are put together with bolt and washer, you never know where that washer went and what not, why not just sell a flange bolt set at HF. Actually why arent all bolts flange bolts. I've never had a time where I didn't want to use a flange bolt. Walk into Ace or homedepot for a special size bolt and its a regualr hex bolt, no flange option. I think theres a reason they don't put cars together with bolt and washer, because its simpler to use a flange bolt. Any opinions.
 
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Sirdowski

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Mar 30, 2013
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I also agree.

I imagine it's just because there's more money to be made in selling washers.
 
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bran1har

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Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

Cemoto, I agree, but for the most part flange is the way to go. I like that assortment from graingers
 

ezzzzzzz

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Jan 25, 2012
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359
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

Few local fastener suppliers carry these bolts and nuts. I keep a small supply by scarfing them up off same/similar models when I visit the local pick-n-pull. Often times the bolts are readily available because someone else has left them sitting or exposed them when pulling other parts.
 

larry_g

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oregon
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

You auto guys ought to get out more. There is a whole world out there where flange bolts would not be the appropriate fastener. The industry I retired from was better than 75% socket head fasteners with quite a few in counter bores.

lg
no neat sig line
 

sberry

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Brethren, Michigan
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

On my list is a couple boxes of machine washers. I have a few but its hit and miss and I have been tossing out a lot of locks, I dont put 3 of everything on every joint or a flat under the turned element but this would be improved in some cases with machine washers.

We just went thru some golf cart R&R and I am going to toss a lot more hardware out where I can, lots of it just doesnt need to be. Back in the day not so but I can make a box of lock washers last a long time today.
 

ezzzzzzz

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Jan 25, 2012
Messages
359
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

You auto guys ought to get out more. There is a whole world out there where flange bolts would not be the appropriate fastener. The industry I retired from was better than 75% socket head fasteners with quite a few in counter bores.

lg
no neat sig line


Might be in your case. I worked with weapon systems for many years and the hardware was certainly different depending on application. It's hard to beat an automotive engineer at his/her game. Flange bolts are used in both stressed and non-stressed applications but primarily because it eliminates the need for extra bits like flat and lock washers making for faster assembly on a production line.
 
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PCO6

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Newmarket, Ontario
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

Flanged bolts are great for a lot of applications but for a restored car most times I'd prefer to tighten a bolt against a flat washer in order to preserve the paint. Ideally you should tighten the nut vs. the bolt (except for captive nuts of course) . I've even put thin fibre washers under a flat washer to lessen the damage of a flat washer on the paint.
 

1949 caddyman

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Arizona
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

I think the OEM like to use them for speed of assembly, grab a bolt & tighten vs grab a bolt & washer & tighten. Also the shoulder acts as a stop on the socket edge.
 

01ssreda4

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Dec 15, 2011
Messages
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Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

I like washers bc you can tailor the size to the application though flanged bolt heads would be quicker in some instances.
 

Higgins

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Dec 25, 2009
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Shepheardsville, KY
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

Lary,

Our local pa and pa use to carry them and stopped as they weren't making any $$$$ on them. (My how times have changed). So now it's off to the NAPA dealer out in farm country, or our local Ace carries a few sizes...........

AL
 

bobemmerich

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Aug 23, 2009
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Middletown, Ct.
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

These guys have it all when it comes to fasteners. If they don't have it, they'll get it...
http://www.nutty.com/
I also found ACE to have a decent assortment of automotive flange bolts in MM and SAE
 

Modifieddriver

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May 29, 2009
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Moonville, South Carolina
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

Many cases in auto assembly a flanged bolt isn't required. Those are where the bolt is in shear or double shear.

The assortment from Grainger is nice, but made in Taiwan. Probably made by the same folks that do the bolts for HF.

Other thing about assortments. Seldom do you get the Correct sizes ya' ever need for the job you're doing. I save every last bolt, washer, nut, etc. and sort them by diameter and store them. Amazing how often I use them in a future job. But you have to remember you have them to make this work.
 

bluesboy

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Nov 16, 2005
Messages
165
Location
new york
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

Flanged bolts are great for a lot of applications but for a restored car most times I'd prefer to tighten a bolt against a flat washer in order to preserve the paint. Ideally you should tighten the nut vs. the bolt (except for captive nuts of course) . I've even put thin fibre washers under a flat washer to lessen the damage of a flat washer on the paint.

Agree 100%:thumbup:
 

mtnwalton

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Apr 25, 2010
Messages
210
Re: everyting should be a flange bolt

You auto guys ought to get out more. There is a whole world out there where flange bolts would not be the appropriate fastener. The industry I retired from was better than 75% socket head fasteners with quite a few in counter bores.

lg


+1
 

tylernt

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Jan 24, 2013
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Idaho, US
I suspect part of the reason is historical. Bolts used to be made from hex-shaped steel stock in screwcutting machines. When using hex stock, you can't have a flange wider than the flats of the hex head. To get a wider flange you'd have to make a bolt from thicker round stock and then mill away six flats to make the head, a time-consuming (and therefore expensive) proposition.

Nowadays I think most bolts have rolled threads instead of cut, so they are made from thin round stock and have the hex head hot formed in a die. It's not much more effort to use a flanged bolt die, so there's no cost savings in making plain hex heads any more. But, since the industry had been making plain hexes for so many years, they're reluctant to change now. Kind of like the US clinging to outdated imperial measurements instead of the metric standard that everyone else in the world uses.

On a related note, sometimes I see captive washers. The washer is slid up against the head of a bolt blank, and then the threads are rolled on with many tons of pressure. Thread rolling raises up the thread which traps the washer so it can't be removed. Was kind of a head scratcher the first time I saw one of those, until I saw thread rolling done on How It's Made and it all made sense.
 

GarageCrazyCarl

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Sep 12, 2013
Messages
2
Flange bolts/nuts are the way to go for numerous reasons that seem obvious.
A lot of sellers I found to be very expensive though.
After looking around online and in different stores, I found a website called:
flangebolts.comThey have literally everything at wholesale prices.
So if you're looking for flange bolts, I suggest you start there!
 
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